Dim Sum Haus

If you’re craving some good old dim sum, you’ll be pleased to hear that a homely dim sum place has popped up along Jalan Besar in January this year. Helmed by high school sweethearts turned husband-wife duo Steven and Yvonne, Dim Sum Haus is wordplay on “House” and the similar-sounding Chinese word 好 (good). We popped by one Friday around brunch time so see for ourselves if the place is really as homely and the food as good as the name suggests.

Fried Fresh Shrimp Bean Curd Skin

The first dish to arrive — the fried fresh shrimp bean curd skin — turned out to be one of my favourite for the day. The bean curd skin was incredibly crispy, and for some reason reminded me of the Silky Barley drink from Ya Kun, only much crunchier and more flavourful because of the filling inside. This one is really a breath of fresh air for amateur dim sum lovers like me; it was totally not what I expected, but boy was I glad we ordered this.

Steamed Crispy Rice Roll with Shrimp

The steamed crispy rice roll with shrimp stands out from the other shrimp rolls I’ve had elsewhere because of the crisp layer hidden inside, separating the rice roll and the shrimps. The light sauce was very refreshing without being too salty and off-putting.

Baked Salted Egg Custard Bun

Apart from the fried fresh shrimp bean curd skin, this is my favourite — the baked salted egg custard bun. To differentiate it from the other steamed salted egg custard buns commonly found in dim sum places, Dim Sum Haus decided to bake theirs. The layer of crunch that wraps around the bun is especially shiok to bite into, and I love how the salted egg custard oozes out beautifully. Best eaten piping hot guys!

Steamed Shrimp Dumpling “Har Gau”

Packed chockfull with one whole shrimp, the Har Gau lets you bite into succulent meat with every mouth. I was impressed how the chef managed to stuff some a big juicy shrimp under such thin Har Gau skin. Props to his skills!

Watercress Honey Ice Jelly

The closing number was also a special at Dim Sum Haus — introducing the Watercress Honey Ice Jelly. Although this dessert was interestingly less sweet than most other desserts I’m used to (think ice kachang and bingsu), the natural sweetness of the ingredients came through from the red dates, the honey, and the watercress, providing an amiable and gentle end to the meal.

​Dim Sum Haus aims to become a cosy house-of-sorts for families and friends to get together to share quality bite-sized portions of food in steamer baskets and small plates at affordable prices. Having tried the food and spoken to the affable owners, I believe that Dim Sum Haus will be drawing in more regular diners sooner rather than later, especially with the opening of Jalan Besar MRT station later this year. Yay to affordable and accessible dim sum! ?